Stop strategic planning. Strategic planning is an event and events don’t produce results. Processes do. Think of strategy as a process to be managed – a Strategic Management Process.
A robust Strategic Management Process should be linked to your organization’s fiscal year and cycle through four phases:
- Assessment – determining the forces and trends impacting your organization and what is driving you to change
- Positioning – establishing a clear and concise identity and ambition
- Planning – outlining how success will be achieved
- Implementation – instituting the mechanisms to build commitment, align the organization and manage execution
When strategic planning ends, people go back to work and the plan collects dust. With Strategic Management there is no end. Strategic execution is emphasized just as much as day-to-day operational execution.
Put an end to the strategic planning charade. If you’re serious about establishing and sustaining the right focus, then commit to an annual process of strategy development and execution. Commit to Strategic Management.
Your thoughts?
Michael
